Monthly Archives: April 2013

RadioShack Leopard’s Fabian Cancellara won the breathtaking sprint ahead of Sep Vanmarcke of Blanco and got his third Paris-Roubaix title of his career. Cancellara showed impressive performance so far in the spring classics, winning Ronde van Vlaanderen and E3 Harelbeke.

There was a 13-rider breakaway early in the day but got caught by the surging peloton pretty early which led to a new break to form, likewise got caught after an hour of attacking. But this escape and chase efforts thinned the peloton to 40-odd riders quite early in the race and finally a leading group shaped in the front with 13 riders and 25 kilometers to go.

Sep Vanmarcke and Stijn Vandenbergh attacked within the group and extended their lead to 40 seconds but Cancellara increased the pace with Zdenak Stybar on his backwheel and regrouped with the front duo. But on the cobbled sectors, Vanderbergh and Stybar crashed one after the other, Cancellara and Vanmarcke taking the lead under the 10 km banner.

They entered the Roubaix velodrome together, Vanmarcke led out the sprint but Cancellara was more calm and strong in the final meters and won his third Roubaix title and his second Flanders / Roubaix double.

Omega Pharma QuickStep’s Niki Terpstra sealed the final place on the podium by winning the sprint amongst the chasing group.

Almost flat but full of cobbled sectors, Paris-Roubaix favors only the strongest riders. Last year’s winner Tom Boonen withdrew after his crash in Ronde van Vlandaaren and Fabian Cancellara‘s health is a bit of a mystery after crashing twice past week.

The real start was given at 10:30 CET this morning and the live television coverage starts around 13:00 and will be broadcasted in most countries in Europe, US, Canada and Australia.

in Europe, besides Eurosport, France 3 in France, Sporza and RTBF in Belgium, RTVE in Spain, Rai Sport 2 in Italy, NoS in Holland, RTL in Luxemburg and SF Zwei in Switzerland will broadcast the race live. Other broadcasters include RDS in Canada, NBC Sports in United States and SBS in Australia.

17:17 – Fabian Cancellara won the sprint on the Roubaix Velodrome ahead of Sep Vanmarcke, Niki Tersptra came third one lap behind.

17:05 - After Vanderbergh and Stybar crashed one after the other, Fabian Cancellara and Sep Vanmarcke just passed under the 10km banner with 35 seconds lead.

15:50 - Cancellara attacked with Zdenek Stybar (OPQ) and regrouped with the leading duo as they entered Champin-en-Pevele.

15:40 - With 25 kilometers to go, Sep Vanmarcke (Blanco) and Stijn Vandenbergh (OPQ) are on the lead with a 40 seconds gap ahead of the now 10-riders chasing group including Fabian Cancellara (RLT), Damien Gaudin (EUC) and Niki Terpstra (OPQ).

15:15 - The breakaway group has been caught by the chasing bunch, who were down to 40 riders as they approached Mons-en-Pevele sector. Omega Pharma Quick Step team-mates Sylvain Chavanel, Niki Terpstra and Stijn Vandenbergh took charge of the bunch and raised the tempo. We now have a 13-rider leading group now.

15:00 – Michael Schar (BMC) joined the escapees, forming a group of 3. Damien Gaudin (EUC) and Stuart O’Grady (OGE) are chasing the trio which are only 50 seconds ahead of the peloton.

14:30 - The breakaway split into two: Gert Steegmans (OPQ) and Matt Hayman (SKY) are now leading 27 seconds ahead of a chasing group of three riders. The peloton is though closing the gap and is around 1 minute behind the leaders.

14:00 - As Arenberg is passed, the four-men breakaway is now 1:20 ahead of the peloton.

First raced in 1896, the third monument of the cycling season, Paris-Roubaix is famous for its rough terrain, specifically cobblestones. “l’Enfer du Nord” – Hell of the North passes through northern France’s former coal-mining region covered with cobbled roads and rutted tracks before the riders finish in the famous outdoor velodrome in Roubaix.

Both Tom Boonen and Roger de Vlaeminck hold the record with 4 wins each and more recently it was only Johan Vansummeren and Fabian Cancellara being victorious other than Boonen.